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About Mark Janus
Expertise
I can answer questions regarding aerodynamics, fluid flow, and computational simulations.

Experience
turbomachinery flow analysis, computational fluid dynamics

Organizations
Mississippi State University

AIAA

SIAM

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Science > Aerospace/Aviation > Aerospace/Aviation > Air flight sounds

Aerospace/Aviation - Air flight sounds


Expert: Mark Janus - 9/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: Does our stealth planes make noises when flying overhead?  Thanx, Paul

ANSWER: I can't say definitively, but I'm confident the acoustic signature has been considered in the design...  similar to the radar cross section, and heat signature...  Most of the noise of the aircraft is from the engine and both the inlet and exit are predominently facing upward (so any sounds will likely travel up away from the ground).  I also imagine that sound insulation/isolation is also practiced internally regarding the design.  The exhaust is designed to promote the mixing of the hot gases with the surrounding air to reduce the heat signature.

Hope this helps,
mj

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What else would it be?  4 relatively sound people were looking at the night sky last sunday night Around 8pm when we saw this rather large object fly overhead.  It had no runnning lights for or aft, but had 8 or so smaller vrownish reflectice lights underneath.  It barely made a sound.  It's shape was not typical airplane shape and definitely not round.  I thought that I heard a hum, but the others didn't report that.  We do have Dover AF & Wallop's island nearby.  It was flying sounth along the coast.  Care to venture an opinion?  thanx for your time, Paul

Answer
The stealth fighter is not that large....  you didn't say how fast it was going....  could it have been a blimp....  I believe they are rather quite and there are a number of them covering sporting events nowadays... but they don't fly that fast (flight speed would be a key for this one)...

Just a thought,
mj

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